The Labels We Carry

How Our Brain Uses Shortcuts and How Curiosity Can Change the Story

Have you ever caught yourself saying:

• “I’m just an anxious person.”
• “They’re selfish.”
• “I’m terrible at relationships.”
• “That’s just who I am.”
• “They’ll never change.”

These statements may feel like simple observations, but they often serve as labels, mental shortcuts that organize our experiences and help us make sense of ourselves and the world around us.

Our brains are designed to categorize information quickly. This ability has helped humans survive by allowing us to recognize patterns, make decisions, and respond efficiently. However, the same process that helps us navigate life can sometimes create rigid beliefs that limit growth, connection, and emotional flexibility.

The goal is not to eliminate labels completely. Our brains will always create shortcuts. The goal is to become more aware of them and develop the ability to ask:

“Is this the whole story, or is this just one interpretation?”

The Neuroscience Behind Mental Shortcuts

The brain receives an enormous amount of information every moment. To function efficiently, it relies on systems that organize information into patterns, predictions, and categories.

These mental shortcuts are known as heuristics.

Heuristics help us:

• Make decisions faster
• Identify potential threats
• Learn from past experiences
• Navigate complex situations without becoming overwhelmed

For example, if you have previously experienced criticism in a relationship, your brain may become quicker to interpret future feedback as rejection. The brain is attempting to protect you by using previous information to predict what might happen next.

The challenge is that the brain prioritizes efficiency BUT not always accuracy.

Recent neuroscience research demonstrates that perception and decision-making are strongly influenced by prior experiences, expectations, and learned patterns. Our brains do not simply record reality; they interpret it through existing frameworks and predictions (Bubic et al., 2021).

When Labels Help Us

Labels are not inherently harmful.

They can provide:

• Understanding: A diagnosis or description can help people understand their experiences.
• Connection: Shared language can help people communicate needs.
• Organization: Categories help us process complex information.

For example, recognizing “I experience anxiety in social situations” can be helpful because it creates awareness and opens the door to support.

The problem occurs when a label becomes an identity.

There is a difference between:

“I am experiencing anxiety.”

and:

“I am an anxious person who cannot handle things.”

One describes an experience. The other creates a limitation.

When Labels Become Limiting

Rigid labels can influence how we see ourselves and others.

They may contribute to:

Self-limiting beliefs

When we repeatedly describe ourselves in fixed ways, we may unconsciously start acting on those beliefs.

Relationship misunderstandings

When we label our partner (“lazy,” “uncaring,” “controlling”), we stop looking for context and start looking for evidence that supports our assumption.

Reduced curiosity

Labels often close the door to exploration.

Instead of asking:
“What happened?”

we may jump to:
“What’s wrong with them?”

Psychological flexibility, the ability to adapt thoughts and behaviors based on new information, is strongly associated with emotional well-being and healthier relationships (Kashdan & Rottenberg, 2021).

Choosing Curiosity Over Certainty

Curiosity creates space between what happened and the meaning we assign to it.

Instead of:

“My partner doesn’t care.”

Try:

“My partner responded differently than I hoped. What else could be happening?”

Instead of:

“I always fail.”

Try:

“I struggled with this situation. What can I learn?”

Curiosity does not mean ignoring problems. It means allowing room for more information before reaching a conclusion.

A more flexible mind can hold two truths:

“This was painful.”

AND

“There may be more to understand.”

Nature as a Pathway From Automatic Thinking to Curiosity

Our brains are constantly trying to predict, categorize, and simplify the world around us. This ability is helpful—it allows us to recognize patterns and make decisions quickly. However, when we rely too heavily on mental shortcuts, we may begin seeing ourselves, others, and our circumstances through rigid labels.

Nature offers a powerful interruption to this pattern.

Unlike many environments we create, nature does not demand that we categorize, perform, or achieve. A walk through a park, sitting near water, or observing changing seasons invites us into a slower pace of attention. Instead of asking, “What do I need to accomplish?” we begin noticing:

• What do I see?
• What do I hear?
• What has changed?
• What am I experiencing right now?

This shift from automatic thinking to present-moment awareness is one reason nature-based practices are increasingly being studied as tools for emotional regulation and psychological well-being.

Research suggests that time spent in natural environments is associated with reduced stress, improved mood, and decreased rumination—the repetitive thinking patterns that often reinforce negative labels about ourselves and others (Martin et al., 2021; Coventry et al., 2021).

Nature also reminds us that change is part of the human experience. A tree is not “failing” because it loses leaves in winter. A river is not “wrong” because its path changes. The natural world models flexibility, adaptation, and seasons of growth.

Nature encourages us to observe before we judge.

Practicing Curiosity Through Nature

1. Try a “Label-Letting-Go” Walk

Take a 15-minute walk without headphones or distractions.

When you notice a judgmental thought, gently ask:

“What am I noticing instead of labeling?”

Example:
Instead of:
“This is a boring walk.”

Try:
“The air feels cool. I notice birds. My mind feels busy today.”

The goal is not to force positivity; it is to practice observation before interpretation.

2. Use Nature as a Mirror

Choose something in nature to observe—a tree, flower, cloud, or body of water.

Ask:

• What changes do I notice?
• What assumptions am I making?
• Where am I expecting myself to be different than I am?

Nature reminds us that growth is not linear.

3. Practice a “Both/And” Reflection Outside

Sit outdoors for five minutes and complete this sentence:

“I can be ______ and still ______.”

Examples:

• I can feel uncertain and still move forward.
• I can make mistakes and still be worthy.
• I can need support and still be strong.

This helps loosen rigid self-labels.

References

Bubic, A., von Cramon, D. Y., & Schubotz, R. I. (2021). Prediction, cognition and the brain: The predictive nature of human cognition. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 128, 157–169.

Coventry, P. A., Brown, J. V. E., Pervin, J., Brabyn, S., Pateman, R., Breedvelt, J., Gilbody, S., Stancliffe, R., McEachan, R., & White, P. C. L. (2021). Nature-based outdoor activities for mental and physical health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. SSM – Population Health, 16, 100934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100934

Kashdan, T. B., & Rottenberg, J. (2021). Psychological flexibility as a fundamental aspect of health. Clinical Psychology Review, 91, 102099.

Lieder, F., & Griffiths, T. L. (2022). Resource-rational analysis: Understanding human cognition as the optimal use of limited resources. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 45, e67.

Martin, L., White, M. P., Hunt, A., Richardson, M., Pahl, S., & Burt, J. (2021). Nature contact, nature connectedness and associations with health, well-being and pro-environmental behaviors. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 74, 101591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101591

West, R., Meserve, R. J., & Stanovich, K. E. (2022). Cognitive reflection and the use of heuristics in judgment and decision-making. Psychological Review, 129(4), 815–837.